8/26/14

31/52
Jonas: Details landing in the palm of his hand.
Joshua: Sometimes we perform and sometimes we hide.
Jessica: Embracing the beauty of nature.

32/52
Jonas: Doing what boys do best; being mischievous and throwing rocks into the water.
Joshua: Bursting with excitement as we ride the ferry over to the island.
Jessica: Dainty and fragile, surrounded in a field of Queen Anne's lace.

33/52
Jonas: I think I'm going to see how many times the Messi jersey makes a portrait. They're starting to add up.
Joshua: Entranced by The Cleveland Orchestra's performance of The Beatles.
Jessica: A tired mind put at ease by the calming vibes of good music.

8/23/14

It seems that August is quickly slipping by and before we know it September will be upon us. I sat down last night to figure out our fall calendar and I didn't know whether to cry or go fix myself a drink. Between all three kids and our schedules we have something every single day. And our weekends? They are booked until November. When did life become so busy? When did life become full of schedules and calendars, uniforms and projects, ballet shoes and piano books? Sometimes I think all the mothers out there deserve an award just for keeping everything straight. Or at least attempting to keep it straight, but let's be honest, who's really that organized?

This weekend was no different, but somehow, we're finding time to embrace these last days of August. We're getting in a couple more trips to the pool and trading our late nights for early reading sessions in bed. If only I could figure out how to get in bed for my own early reading session!

I finally finished The Goldfinch.
(I remember when I used to breeze through a book every week. I miss those days.)
While this isn't a read, I am thrilled that The Killing is now available on Netflix.
If you are into Scandinavian crime fiction I recommend Lars Kepler, Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo.
I just started The Bat, Jo Nesbo and am already hooked.

8/20/14

The car ride to the lake always goes by quickly, as quickly as the peach stands and cornfields that pass by our windows with a blur. The second I decide to stop for fresh produce is the second that we have already passed by the stands proudly on display by the side of the road. But I always know that one last stand remains before we catch the ferry, and that’s where I’ll buy my peaches and corn.

The two-hour drive north to Lake Erie may be a short distance, but I always feel like I am entering another state. The air becomes a bit chilly and the open lake waters appear like the vast ocean, stretching for miles and miles. I always forget that I am in Ohio.

This trip was no different, with the exception of the rain. The rain that fell and fell like buckets being dumped from the dark gray skies. The rain that filled our tent, soaked our clothes and left our shoes to make squishing noises as we ran between the droplets. The bathrooms seemed so much farther from our site this year. It must have been the rain.

In our moment of weakness, and wetness, we sought out shelter. Literally. But the inns and resort were all booked. We had a moment where we almost jumped back on the ferry to spend the night at an indoor water park, but in a way that seemed like cheating. And we certainly don’t cheat in our family. We don’t quit either.

While the rain brought us down, it must have also been the rain that lifted our spirits because suddenly we decided to embrace and enjoy it. We headed to the general store where we loaded up on tarps, umbrellas, rain ponchos, steamers and Americanos. And of course some bribery toys since we vetoed going to the water park.

I will never forget that moment on the front porch of the Kelley’s Island General Store. That moment when our clothes became so drenched all we could do was giggle as we wrung out the extra water. That moment when we barely had enough coins to purchase a penny from the collector machine, but magically a quarter appeared hidden in my pocket and everyone was able to have a souvenir.

When we returned home, I safely placed the souvenir pennies in each of the kid’s books and silently hoped that I tucked those memories away for a lifetime.

8/9/14

Sometimes, the moment arises when least expected to capture memories. This was an unplanned mother daughter post. It was a moment when I just happened to have my camera handy and my tripod in the car. This is us captured in our every day. While the boys were off golfing, Jessica and I sought out to seek adventure. These days, our adventures usually find us in a field of green surround by horses. This little girl is eager as ever to get on one of these beauties and start riding. Her time will come, but for now, we stand in the distance and observe.

I could feel the pulse of her heart beating in a soft rhythm against my chest, and suddenly, I wanted to hold her tighter. I wanted to hold her forever, past the minutes and hours and days. Past the weeks that turned into months that evolved into years. I wanted to hold her still, in that very moment with her heart pulsing against my chest, forever.

Mother Daughter is a series I’ve created in a small attempt to document the time with my daughter: my youngest child. I am determined to embrace these days, to capture the essence of life and to foster our bond that begins in the heart. I am determined to soak in every inch of my children because I know the minute I stop, they will be grown and time will be lost.

“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.”
― Jodi Picoult, Perfect Match

8/5/14

Jonas: One happy boy who used his birthday money to purchase a new jersey and ball.
Joshua: One lucky boy who caught (and released) the most fish.
Jessica: One curious girl who loves to roam wild and free.